National Museum of China

The reopening of the National Museum of China on the east side of Tian’anmen Square in Beijing was the most significant event in the museum world in 2011. The interior of the original building, one of 10 famous architectural landmarks built in 1959 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Revolution, has been completely redesigned. The famous façade has been retained. The new museum combines the original national collection of the Museum of Chinese History with that of the Museum of the Chinese Revolution. It therefore tells the entire history of Chinese civilization, from Yuanmou man (1,700,000 years old) through the overthrow of the last dynasty in 1911 to the Revolution of 1949 and then the founding of the People’s Republic. The collection of historical objects is superb for its quality and breadth, giving a complete history of Chinese art and culture. The modern collection comprises a fascinating selection of objects, documents charts, models and paintings to illustrate the rise of modern China.